New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen said during a recent interview with NFL Network that, “it felt like we have had a lot of wins from January to today.” The offseason is ripe for optimism, as teams are eternally excited about the additions to their roster in free agency and the draft.

But for players already on the roster, these aren’t welcome developments. Conversely, the moves a team does not make can be the best move for some holdovers. With free agency and the draft completed, here’s a review of the Giants’ biggest winners and losers from the offseason:

WinnersCam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy

The Giants were open to upgrading their backfield this offseason, but they were only interested in big-game hunting. They were linked to Kenneth Walker before free agency but never seriously entered the bidding. (The Super Bowl MVP landed a three-year, $43 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs.) Jeremiyah Love was atop the Giants’ draft board with linebacker Arvell Reese, but they never got the chance to take the Notre Dame running back because the Arizona Cardinals selected him with the No. 3 pick.

If either Walker or Love were added, the newcomer would have instantly become the featured back, with Skattebo and Tracy bumping down in the pecking order. But in the absence of landing those two star backs, the Giants did … nothing. There have been no running back additions, which means Skattebo and Tracy remain at the top of the depth chart.

Skattebo, who provided a jolt before a season-ending ankle injury in Week 8, and Tracy, who had a solid second half of the season after Skattebo’s injury, will compete for the No. 1 spot in the backfield. But they’re both assured of prominent roles after the Giants failed to land a true workhorse this offseason.

Jon Runyan

Finances could have put Runyan’s roster spot in jeopardy. The Giants can create $9.25 million in cap savings while eating just $2.5 million in dead money if they cut or trade Runyan this offseason. That may have been an option if the Giants landed Alijah Vera-Tucker, who instead signed a three-year, $42 million contract with the New England Patriots.

Even with Francis Mauigoa added with the 10th pick, Runyan is still slated to start at left guard. The Giants didn’t show and haven’t shown interest in spending on a veteran like Wyatt Teller (two years, $16 million with the Houston Texans) or Kevin Zeitler (still unsigned). Even if the Giants had re-signed Greg Van Roten, who played every snap at right guard the past two seasons, Runyan’s spot could have been in danger. Now, Runyan only needs to hold off the likes of Daniel Faalele and Evan Neal to remain the Giants’ starting left guard for a third straight season.

Roy Robertson-Harris

Robertson-Harris entered the offseason as a potential cap casualty. The Giants can create $3.35 million in cap savings with $2.4 million in dead money if they cut Robertson-Harris. Instead, he is penciled in as a starter after starting all 17 games last season.

The trade of Dexter Lawrence created a void in the middle of the defensive line that the Giants haven’t filled. The biggest investments in the D-line have been a one-year, $3 million contract for 34-year-old Shelby Harris and a sixth-round pick used on Bobby Jamison-Travis. There still could be another addition, with coveted nose tackle DJ Reader remaining on the market. But Robertson-Harris being on track to start is an upset considering the need to upgrade the run defense entering the offseason.

Dru Phillips

Phillips had a shaky second season that could have opened the door for competition for his spot as the starting slot cornerback. But with outside corner a bigger priority after Cor’Dale Flott’s departure in free agency, the Giants invested in veteran Greg Newsome (one year, $8 million contract) and second-round pick Colton Hood. Phillips could lose snaps if new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson leans more on three-safety packages, but he’s the only established slot corner on the roster.

Tyler Nubin

The Giants were heavily linked to Ohio State safety Caleb Downs during the pre-draft process; if they used one of their two top-10 picks on Downs, Nubin’s days as a starter would be over. But the Giants passed on Downs, who landed with the Dallas Cowboys with the 11th pick, so Nubin remains penciled in as the starter alongside Jevon Holland. Nubin still could lose his job, but he’s much better positioned to hold off Ar’Darius Washington and Jason Pinnock than a top-10 pick.

LosersKayvon Thibodeaux

The Giants have continued pouring resources into Thibodeaux’s position since selecting him with the fifth pick in the 2022 draft. They traded second- and fifth-round picks for Brian Burns and gave the edge rusher a five-year, $141 million extension during the 2023 offseason. Then the Giants used the No. 3 pick in last year’s draft on edge rusher Abdul Carter. This year, the Giants took Reese with the fifth pick. While the plan is for Reese to play inside linebacker, he’s another premium investment in the mix for playing time on passing downs.

It’s a good problem for the Giants to have so many talented pass rushers, but someone is going to need to sacrifice to make it work. Thibodeaux stands out as the player most likely to be forced to adjust, as he’ll probably shift inside more often on passing downs. His snaps on the edge will likely come mostly on early downs when he’s rotating with Burns and Carter. It’s not an ideal recipe for Thibodeaux to produce the type of stats that will lead to a big payday in a contract year.

Micah McFadden

It’s been a rough year for McFadden. He suffered a Lisfranc foot injury 11 snaps into last season’s opener and missed the rest of the season. Missing so much time in a contract year suppressed McFadden’s value, so he had to settle for a one-year, $3.75 million prove-it contract from the Giants.

The problem is that McFadden’s opportunities to prove that he’s back to pre-injury form will be limited. The Giants signed Tremaine Edmunds, who has rarely come off the field during his eight-year career, to a three-year, $36 million contract. It appeared McFadden would be the starter alongside Edmunds until the Giants drafted Reese. The versatility of Reese could create some opportunities to get McFadden on the field, but the No. 5 pick is going to get the majority of playing time next to Edmunds.

Marcus Mbow

Mbow was a pleasant surprise as a rookie, getting significant action at both tackle spots in six games last season. But any hope of the fifth-round pick stepping into the starting right tackle spot was eliminated when the Giants re-signed Jermaine Eluemunor to a three-year, $39 million contract. It’s possible that the Giants could experiment with Mbow inside, but the selection of Mauigoa with the 10th pick blocked the path to another potential starting job. Mbow is penciled in as the swing tackle, which is a valuable role for a franchise that has lacked offensive-line depth for years. But it’s hard to see a path to a future starting spot for Mbow, barring injury.

Deonte Banks

Like Evan Neal and Jalin Hyatt last year, Banks is sure to receive unwarranted buzz about a potential breakout season despite ample evidence to the contrary. The new coaching staff has made some encouraging comments about Banks, which is to be expected during the offseason. But actions speak louder than words. After Flott’s free-agent departure, the Giants could have shown faith in Banks as a potential answer at the corner spot opposite Paulson Adebo. Instead, they signed Newsome and drafted Hood to push Banks even further down the depth chart. Declining Banks’ $12.6 million fifth-year option for 2027 last week was further evidence that the new staff’s optimism only extends so far. Banks’ best path to a roster spot is as a kick returner after he showed promise in that role last season.

Ben Sauls

Sauls finished last season on a high note, going 8-for-8 on field goals and 7-for-7 on extra points over the final three games. Signed to the practice squad in Week 11, Sauls provided much-needed stability to the Giants’ kicking game. But that performance on mostly short kicks — Sauls only had one attempt longer than 40 yards — didn’t seem to impress new coach John Harbaugh. The Giants dumped veteran Graham Gano but have added two kickers: veteran Jason Sanders and undrafted rookie Dominic Zvada. The addition of Zvada seems particularly concerning for Sauls’ prospects, as teams typically don’t carry three kickers on the roster.